An Imbalance of Flavors
by IdunAurora
Summary: Sharing a passion for art and food, Siebold and Antonia were, theoretically, the perfect match. The thing was, they absolutely despised each other. Antonia thought Siebold was a stuck up, boring idiot, and Siebold thought Antonia was an irritating, irresponsible nuisance. Rated M for skipable lemon. Siebold x OC.
1. A Cherry in the Garden

Chapter 1 – A Cherry in the Garden

"I want two ravioli and two baked potatoes, repeat, two ravioli and two baked potatoes!"

"Yes, chef!"

"Service!" Siebold bellowed, ringing the bell on the pass for the waiters to hurry up. "Table three, go! How long for the ravioli?"

"Two minutes, chef!"

"Excellent!" Siebold put the order from table three on a spike, since the order had gone out of the kitchen, and saw a waiter coming towards him with yet another one. The pass was running smoothly at La Perle de la Mer (The Pearl of the Sea) this evening, the whole system working like a well-oiled machine. Taking the next order and accepting new plates for several other tables, Siebold was all fired up, the adrenaline pumping. This was what he lived for, something just as exciting and creative as a Pokémon battle. A form of art most satisfying.

"Evening, Siebold." A voice he knew well. He turned around to find Valerie, gym leader of Laverre Town, smiling at him, dressed as extravagantly as ever, complete with her signature pair of wings. She visited his restaurant here in Lumiose City quite often, as she was fond of excellent food, and in Siebold's mind had an exquisite taste.

"Evening, Valerie." He greeted with a nod. "Would you like to place an order? I presume it's something special, since you've come here yourself instead of just asking the waiters. Speaking of which, service! Table seven, go!" The two waiters picked up the plates and hurried away. Valerie smiled as mysteriously as ever, tilting her head to the side.

"Not really, just wanted to see how you're doing. But since I did come over here, I suppose I could place an order for my main course, the seaweed entrée was excellent, thank you."

"I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it." Siebold said, grabbing a pen and a piece of paper, ready to take her order for a main course. "What would you prefer this evening?"

"The ravioli tonight sounds lovely; I'd like to have a plate of those." Valerie said sweetly, smiling. "I shall leave you to your work, good to see you doing well both in battling and in the restaurant."

"A pleasure having you here, as always." Valerie left and Siebold yelled out her order. He found it a tad interesting she hadn't ordered any desert, as that was her favorite part of a three course meal, but then again, maybe she hadn't decided yet.

"Service for Miss Valerie at her usual table!" Siebold told the waiter, who nodded and rushed away to serve one of their favorite customers.

Valerie was right; he was doing well both in battling and in the restaurant. The Kalos Elite Four had become something of a solid wall protecting the League Champion, Diantha, who in return had more time to actually perform her work as an actress, and also more recently as a director at the PokéStar Studios. Siebold's Clawitzer had been a downfall for many aspiring challengers lately, underestimating it as an easy opponent to take down with a few electric- or grass-type attacks. As a member of the Elite Four, Siebold knew better than this, and Clawitzer, along with his other Pokémon, were better prepared than that. Granted, electric and grass were their weaknesses, but that didn't mean they hadn't taken precautions. Clawitzer had a few ice-type moves up its sleeve for grass-types, and even though it couldn't learn ground-type moves to protect against the electric-types, its defenses were pretty high.

Le Perle de la Mer was Siebold's second restaurant that he ever opened, the first one being in Anistar City where he started his career in cooking. Now, he had two restaurants in Kalos and one in each of the other regions, from Kanto to Unova. He visited each of his restaurants at least twice a year, but since he was constantly needed in the Flood Chamber of the Kalos Pokémon League, he just didn't have the time to travel much further than Lumiose or Anistar City. Right now the League didn't accept challengers due to Diantha shooting a movie and Malva running her own news channel, so Siebold, Wikstrom and Drasna got a month off, which meant Siebold actually had the time to stay in his apartment above the restaurant in Lumiose and run it himself all week long. It was some time since he had the chance to do it the last time, and instead of traveling around he just wanted to stay in one spot. For once.

"Thank you for the meal, Siebold, it was as amazing as always." Valerie had come to the counter again, putting on her shimmering coat and smiling mysteriously at him again.

"I'm delighted to hear you enjoyed it." Siebold said, but then wrinkled his forehead, a bit confused. "I see you are leaving. Are you busy? Wouldn't you like some dessert?" Valerie tilted her head, blinking.

"Didn't you know?" She asked, the smile in her face growing wider. Siebold raised an eyebrow.

"Know what?"

"That Antonia has finally opened a restaurant in Lumiose. I'm sorry, Siebold, but I love my desserts, and Antonia's pastry skills are purely magical. I will have my three course dessert menu at Fleur de la Cerise tonight." She tilted her head to the other side. "You know Antonia, don't you? Judging by the look on your face, I guess you don't like her that much. Pity." She looked at the clock on the kitchen wall. "I'd better go; I have my table booked at eight. Good evening, Siebold."

"…good evening…" Siebold heard himself say as Valerie left. He felt a spike of anger strike through him, clenching his fists. Antonia was back. He could scarcely believe it. And he certainly didn't like it one bit. The mere thought left a sour taste in his mouth. He threw off his apron.

"Pierre, run the pass. I'm going to pay a visit to an old… acquaintance."


	2. Sour

Chapter 2 – Sour

Siebold stepped inside Fleur de la Cerise on the opposite side of Lumiose City to his La Perle de la Mer. Just as he expected, the place looked like it was pulled straight out of a fairy tale, complete with most certainly edible cherry trees, grass and ponds. A whiff of Johto, he felt. Then again, Antonia was from Johto, Cherrygrove City more specifically. She had simply brought a touch from home and made it… well, Kalosian. Or appeal to Kalosian people. Judging by the amount of customers, it had worked really well.

Before Siebold even had time to think all this true, a waiter had come up to him and bowed.

"Bon soir, monsieur. A table for one? Or perhaps you're expecting company, sir?"

"No, I'm on my own. Table for one, please." Siebold said, still scanning his surroundings sharply. Antonia had an eye for aesthetics; that was for certain. The name of the restaurant fit the setting perfectly and vice versa. Johto gardens were the most beautiful Siebold knew, and she had decorated the space to perfectly resemble one of them, and yet so over the top that it was more fairy tale-like and magical… wait. Stop right there.

Siebold clenched his jaw as the waiter politely told the Elite Four member to follow him. He was seated by a small table on the second floor balcony, with a perfect view of the top of the cherry trees. He received the menu and ordered some Johto rice wine to drink as a starter. Perhaps not the most conventional choice, but then again, since the restaurant was run by Antonia, he expected the best quality in the business.

Scanning through the menu, Siebold noticed right away the desserts were in focus. The list of possible desserts was much longer than the entrees and mains, and they seemed much more complex in general than any of the savory dishes. Finally, after much internal debate with himself, he ordered a three course menu: miso soup, stir fried noodles with mushrooms and Flaming Flower, a dessert that sounded quite interesting. Siebold had to admit, though, that all desserts on the menu sounded absolutely brilliant… which was only to be expected by a world class pâtissière, of course. The savory dishes, though, sounded quite plain to him, which was a shame.

In Siebold's mind, he had been right when he got the miso soup. It looked modern and quirky, served with a kind of playfulness only Antonia could create on a plate and still make it look serious, but in Siebold's taste, it wasn't anything interesting flavor wise. It was miso soup. Delicious, yes, but he could make it taste so much better, take it to new heights. Disappointing.

The stir fried noodles and mushrooms weren't that interesting either. The plating looked excellent, a work of art, but again the taste was a letdown. Such a shame. _You can do so much better_ , he thought to himself, sighing slightly. The dish had been delicious, just like the entrée, but it lacked the "oomph". That something little extra was missing, no "zing". Oh well, the dessert would certainly deliver, but that didn't mean Siebold still found the entrée and main course quite average.

The Flaming Flower dessert arrived at the table with style. The waiter placed a delicate, colorful piece of art in front of him on the table, which basically consisted of different kinds of fruit prepared with numerous complex techniques that together formed an orange and red flower. In the middle of the flower lay a bowl made of sugar so thin it looked like glass and inside it some orange liquor. The waiter stroke a match and lit the liquor, making it burn with a blue flame.

"I hope you'll enjoy your dessert, sir." He said, bowing and then leaving.

Siebold examined the creation carefully. Undeniably, Antonia had put much work into this dessert, and every single dessert on the entire menu had probably gone through the same process. The dish was still being made before him, the flambéed liquor finishing off the whole thing. Fascinating indeed.

As expected, the taste was as magical as the restaurant promised it would be. The flavors, textures, temperatures… everything melted together into something truly spectacular. It was sweet, sour, juicy, crunchy, cold, warm, fruity, fresh… everything you could expect from a fruit-based dessert and more. The orange liquor tied it all together perfectly, acting as a kind of flavor-emulsifier. Siebold couldn't deny that the Flaming Flower was an extraordinary dessert.

"How did you find your food, sir?" The waiter asked when he returned.

"I'd like to see the owner, could that be arranged?" Siebold said. It was more of a demand than a question. The waiter picked up his empty plate.

"Mademoiselle Antonia is running the pass, but I guess she has time to exchange a word or two. She has told us to send anyone who asks to see her directly to her, so you're more than welcome to follow me, sir."

"Thank you." Siebold rose from his seat and followed the waiter downstairs. He was going to tell the pastry chef exactly what he thought of her savory food.

Approaching the service area, he heard a familiar voice:

"One Forbidden Fruit and one Lily of Love! Service for table thirty-four!"

"Mademoiselle," the waiter said, walking up to her to return the dirty plate for the plates going to table thirty-four, "A gentleman would like a word with you."

"Une minute, monsieur!" Antonia said, not looking around as she was already focused on the next order. Her pitch-black hair was short, not reaching longer than her cheekbones, and the one rosy streak of pink that was so distinctive to her was still there, perhaps a bit wider than it used to be. Siebold couldn't remember exactly. "One Flaming Flower and two Berry Baskets! How long for the Forbidden Fruit and Lily of Love?"

"Thirty seconds, chef!" Two voices announced simultaneously.

"Excellent!" Antonia said, finally turning around. "Now, how can I-…" She stopped dead in her tracks, her smile fading and her facial expression taking a stern look, her sapphire eyes peering at him through her rosy-framed glasses. "Evening, Siebold."

"Evening, Antonia." He said, meeting her gaze with one just as stern. "Before you ask, yes, I've come to tell you personally how I found my food tonight." Antonia crossed her arms over her chest.

"I'm listening, but being a chef and running a few restaurants yourself, you know I'm busy. Keep it short."

"Fine. The dessert, as always, was excellent. However, it completely overshadowed my entrée and main course. The miso soup was, well, miso soup; you can't make it taste better by simply making it look better. The stir fried noodles with mushrooms were mediocre. Sure, artful looking plate, but still it was only noodles and mushrooms. Why open a restaurant when it really should be a dessert bar? You're no good at savory dishes, and you know it. Risky, don't you think?"

Antonia glared at him, obviously annoyed.

"You're one to talk." She said dryly. "But thanks for the… _constructive_ critique, I shall see to it you get no _mediocre_ noodles in the future. Anything else?"

"How dare you?" Siebold hissed. Antonia huffed.

"Your plating looks boring, and you're desserts are so plain they make me fall asleep at the table. I had dinner at you're restaurant last week, and I was bored out of my mind. Where's the fun? Where's this _art_ you speak of?"

"You had dinner at La Perle de la Mer? So, why didn't you come to criticize me on spot?" Siebold was growing angry, boiling inside with frustration over the pastry chef in front of him.

"Because I knew you'd come here eventually to do it yourself, and thought I'd save it for later." Antonia said, snatching an order from a waiter on the go. "Two Flaming Flowers and one Forbidden Fruit! Service, table fifty-one and sixteen!" She turned her gaze back to Siebold. "Are you quite finished? I have a job to do." Siebold huffed.

"Fine. If my opinion means nothing at all, then thanks for the dessert, but I'm not eating here again." He hissed.

"Good, then I won't have to put up with that attitude of yours. Unless you're plating skills get better, you won't be seeing me anytime soon at La Perle de la Mer either. Bon soir."

With that, she went back to focusing on running the pass, completely ignoring Siebold, who was fuming. He paid for his food and left, thoroughly annoyed. What a nuisance! Still, he was proud at himself for being truthful to the pastry chef about the dessert. It had been amazing.


	3. Balancing Flavors

Chapter 3 – Balancing Flavors

"That would be all. Any questions, thoughts, suggestions?" Siebold leaned back in his chair in the meeting room. He had his staff at La Perle de la Mer assembled for a live meeting, in contrast to the usual, virtual ones. He didn't think there was anything more to speak of, so he was quite surprised when his head chef, Pierre, cleared his throat and leaned forward a bit. He seemed a bit nervous and Siebold grew wary. What was going on?

"Chef," he started, looking around him at the rest of the staff, as if he was seeking support. "We have discussed amongst the staff a bit, and we have a suggestion. You might not like it, in fact I think you won't, but hear me out and think about it first, okay?"

Siebold narrowed his eyes at his head chef. Where was he going with this? Slowly, he nodded in agreement.

"Go ahead." He said, sternly.

"Thank you, chef. You see, we have been thinking… Mademoiselle Antonia is a master pastry chef and somewhat of a wizard when it comes to plating, and you on the other hand are a master at savory dishes, getting all the flavors right, making it perfect, taking them to places no one ever thought they could reach. We just think…" He paused, nervously looking at Siebold's now cold expression, his jaws tightly clenched together, mouth turned into a thin, straight line and his blue eyes glaring at his head chef, "…we just think that it perhaps would be extraordinary if we could try a joint menu with Fleur de la Cerise. Think about it chef, a perfect menu, magical looking plates and extraordinary food, an experience you'll remember your entire life! I think it would benefit both restaurants, wouldn't it?"

Siebold said nothing. Working with Antonia? Impossible! The idea was absolutely preposterous, completely ridiculous! He scanned his staff with his gaze. They looked nervous but… hopeful? Were they actually serious? He looked at Pierre, who swallowed.

"Do you really want to do it?" Siebold asked, referring to the whole staff. Pierre looked around at the others and finally back to his boss. He nodded.

"We think it should be given a try, that is, if Mademoiselle Antonia agrees to it."

Siebold's facial expression showed nothing, but inside he was fighting a war. He really didn't want to work with Antonia, but his staff genuinely believed they should give it a shot. And Siebold couldn't let his staff down… Finally, after a silence that felt like it had been going for an eternity, he sighed.

"…all right. I'll talk to Antonia. If she agrees, we'll give it a shot."

~The same evening, at Fleur de la Cerise after closing time~

"Your staff is insane." Antonia stated as she went through the pantry, counting ingredients. "I'm highly skeptical towards this suggestion of yours."

"So am I." Siebold said sternly, following her every movement with his gaze so he immediately could comment if she made any slight error. To his annoyance, she didn't. "I still have to honor my staff's request and at least ask you if it would be something even remotely possible."

"Working with you is remotely impossible." Antonia muttered.

"I can't say I'm excited either." Siebold retorted. Antonia huffed, counting a shelf of wine bottles. They were quiet for a long time, Antonia focusing on her inventory and Siebold on her, awaiting her response.

Antonia didn't really know what to answer. The idea of them working together was, in her mind, the joke of the millennia. They had never liked each other, never gotten along, and when they were both apprentices at monsieur Bennet's restaurant years ago, he had simply put Antonia with the other pastry chefs in a different room so there wouldn't be any chance of them starting an argument during prep and service. That didn't stop them from being at each other's throats constantly in between him. Actually working with Siebold in the kitchen? Seriously?

She glanced at him, finding him gazing sharply at her, still waiting for an answer. His staff had asked him to try, and she had to respect and commend him for actually honoring their request. Admirable. She wasn't sure she would have done the same. Then again, she respected her staff as well, and the more she thought about it, the surer she was that she too would have gone through the trouble Siebold was now in the middle of. Finally, she noted thirty-seven bottles of Kalos Rouge on the shelf and turned to face the tall, blond man.

"Fine." She said. Siebold blinked. He hadn't expected that. However, he soon composed himself again.

"It's settled then." He confirmed. "Next week, we'll try it out."

"And we'll do it here." Antonia said, sternly. "That's my condition. I need the pastry equipment, and your kitchen just doesn't cut that part." Siebold narrowed his eyes and clenched his jaws, but she had a point. Her equipment was far more specialized than the equivalent in his kitchen, and he had to accept the condition.

"Deal." He said, pulling out a block of paper and a pencil from his pocket. "We need to work out a menu."

"Right." Antonia sighed, flipping to a blank page in her own block of paper. "Four course menu: appetizer, entrée, main and dessert. I'll be in charge of the appetizer and the dessert; you take the entrée and main."

"Naturally." Siebold said, writing down everything in a very precise and orderly fashion. "Entrée will be a quatre fromage ravioli with crisp vegetables. Any appetizers suitable for that?"

"Yes." Antonia said, writing herself. "It sounds quite light and soothing, so we need a punch to start with. I'll make pepper poppers. What's the main course?"

"Beetroot risotto." Antonia cocked an eyebrow.

"Risotto? Impressive." She murmured. "Rice is quite a heavy meal; it needs a fresh dessert, preferably with sour tints between the sweetness…" She sketched something on her paper, focused. "…yes. That's it. I'll make a Citrus Cradle, a basket with a 'lemon' and a 'lime', but the lemon will taste like lime and vice versa." She pondered for a moment. "It could also be a Citrus Cheat… I have to try out a few things, but this one's in the bag." Siebold nodded.

"Excellent." He said, putting away his block of paper, tucking the pencil in his breast pocket. "I will turn up here next week, on Friday, with my head chef to prep and cook the entrée and main for our menu. We'll be here at three o'clock sharp."

"Good." Antonia said. "Send me a list of what I need to order and how much by Wednesday."

"That can be arranged. Thank you for your time, I'll take my leave now." He walked out of the pantry, and Antonia followed him to the staff door to let him out without the alarm going off. Outside, he turned around, nodding to her. "Good night."

"Good night." Antonia said, just as sternly as he had. Before Siebold could even think about saying anything else, she had closed the door, and he was left alone on the empty street. He turned on his heel and strode along the sidewalk towards his own restaurant and his apartment. What had he just agreed on doing? He huffed to himself under his breath. This was heading in a direction way more interesting than he would like it to.


	4. Rubbish!

Chapter 4 – Rubbish!

"I'll be running the pass." Antonia said matter-of-factly, looking from Siebold to his head chef and back. "I will prep the dessert and my head chef will prep the appetizers, so were all good, my head pastry chef will be assembling the dessert on order. Any questions?"

Siebold looked at Pierre, who looked like he had a million questions, but didn't want to seem like an idiot and therefore didn't want to ask them at all. He turned his gaze back to Antonia and shook his head.

"None whatsoever, except for a practical one: where are our stations?"

"Just the question I wanted to hear, excellent." Antonia said, peering at them through her glasses with her sharp eyes. She looked ever so slightly amused about the fact that she got to boss him around. "Follow me, messieurs."

She showed them to their respective stations, and saw to it they were acquainted with their equipment as well.

"I showed you the pantry, so there's really nothing else to do but get to work." Antonia finally said, tapping her finger on the counter. "I know I need to if I'm going to be finished in time. If you have any question, you'll find me in the pastry area over there." She pointed to a large double door in the middle of the back wall of the kitchen. "One last thing. You should know, Siebold, that I tolerate nothing but perfection. The food needs to be delicious, and the plating spectacular. At my restaurant, you should be able to eat with your eyes before the food even reach the table. Don't you dare disappoint me. Good luck, messieurs." With that, she left. Pierre blinked and looked at his boss.

"She reminds me a lot of you, chef. Hope you forgive me for being straightforward." Siebold huffed, annoyed. His voice was stern when he answered:

"Of course I forgive you, but I don't agree with your observation." Pierre nodded and got to work, not wanting to annoy his boss any further. Siebold got to work too, but felt frustrated, his annoyance increasing in level by the second. Who was she to think she could boss him around? To think that she could demand whatever from him? Still determined to somehow make it work, he went to grab all the ingredients he needed for the beetroot risotto and started his prep. _Darn her_.

~Service~

"I've got another eight raviolo. How long for the previous six?"

"Thirty seconds, chef, three minutes for another eight after that!" Pierre called out. Two of Antonia's sous chefs were helping him plate, and the amount of orders certainly required it.

"Three? Make it two! Service, table forty-two and twenty-eight! Siebold, mains will start rolling in during the upcoming five minutes!"

"Yes, Antonia!" Siebold said. His annoyance hadn't settled. He felt edgy in her kitchen, and the fact that Pierre looked so comfortable made the whole situation even worse. He poured some more broth on the rice, stirring it constantly, praying the timing was correct. He had chosen a really tricky dish with a lot of elements and technique, and getting the rice al dente was crucial to make it work.

"I need two plus seven more raviolo! Service, table sixty-three and seventy!"

"Yes, chef!" Pierre called, focused on his work. It was going really well, and he was actually enjoying himself. Soon, the entrees would be all done, and mains would be going out, and he would have to step in and help his boss plate up. To be honest, Pierre was worried about Siebold's dish of choice. He was extremely worried it wouldn't pass Antonia's hawk eyes, since risotto was an insanely tricky dish to get right in the first place and to add to that, Siebold had added some other tricky elements to give it different textures and bring out the beetroot flavor.

"Siebold, you're on!" Antonia took the order from the waiter and examined it. "I need four risottos! How long?"

"Five minutes, Antonia!" Siebold said.

"Make it four! Pierre, last entrées, five of them!"

"Yes, chef! I'll be with you in two minutes, boss!" Pierre said, casting a glance at Siebold, who started plating up the four first risottos.

"Six risottos, and then another four!" Antonia called.

"Yes, Antonia!" Siebold answered, trying his best not to shout at her. His annoyance and anger clearly didn't help the situation at all, but he went according to plan with the plating and hoped the design was good enough for her. She had approved of the sketch, after all.

"Four risottos coming up!" One of Antonia's chefs said as she went to place the plates on the pass.

"Serv-!" Antonia stopped dead in her tracks, looking at the plates in front of her. "Siebold! These plates look _nothing_ like your sketch! I can't serve this, they look ridiculous! Come on, stick to plan!"

"Yes, Antonia." Siebold said, taming his boiling rage with all his might. _Just stick to plan_ , he thought to himself, repeating the phrase a couple of times in his mind. But then…

"What _is_ this!?" Antonia came up with one of the plates she had deemed imperfect, a spoon in her hand, fuming with anger. "Risotto? Absolutely not! The rice is soggy and overcooked, the taste of beetroot is overpowering everything, and this sheet of beetroot jelly is way too thick, it should break smoothly when the spoon goes through. Come on, you, have a taste and tell him, because he won't admit it himself!" She demanded, handing Pierre a spoon and placing the plate on the table, tapping with her fingers on the counter again, this time irritated. "Go on!"

Pierre glanced nervously at Siebold before taking a spoonful and putting it in his mouth. It hurt his soul, but the pastry chef was right. There were certainly flaws with the dish that Siebold would never have let through the pass at La Perle de la Mer. He swallowed, turning his gaze down.

"…I'm sorry boss, but I have to be honest. I don't need to tell you, you already know."

"Darn right he does." Antonia hissed, snatching the plate away. "This is _rubbish_!" To prove her point, she slammed the plate of food down in the trash can so hard it shattered. But now, Siebold had had enough.

"How dare you, you ungrateful woman!" He hissed back, slamming his fist so hard on the counter everything on it rattled in resonance. "I actually agreed to do this, to come to your kitchen and help out with the savory dishes, and this is what I get in return, without an ounce of gratitude!?"

"Gratitude!?" Antonia yelled in anger and disbelief. "You've done nothing else but to annoy both me and my staff, criticize our work, when you know full well that our standards are extremely high and that we all work towards perfection! I will let nothing but that be served in _my_ restaurant to _my_ customers, and had you done the job you actually came here to do, what you promised to do, that plate of food…" she pointed at the trash can with the demolished risotto plate, "…that risotto _wouldn't_ have been rubbish in the first place! Now, take your head chef, who actually did an excellent job, thank you…" she nodded approvingly to Pierre, who bowed slightly to show it had been his pleasure, since he really had enjoyed it, "…take him with you and _get out of my kitchen_!"

Siebold was boiling with rage, but at the same time he felt like he'd been struck by lightning. Antonia had really had it with him this time, and embarrassingly enough, she had yelled at him not only in front of her own staff, but a member of his staff as well.

Antonia turned to her own chefs and started giving out orders:

"Renae, how long does it take you to get risotto going?"

"Twenty seconds, chef!" Renae said, running to the pantry.

"Marco, beetroots, I want them juiced, thin circular carpaccio and also some deep fried thin slices, so it looks kind of like a birds nest. You're in charge, take Alain and Melanie with you."

"Yes, chef!"

"Sophie, Gogoat cheese! I want perfect cornels to put in the nest. I will plate up the first one when you're done, so you get going."

"Yes, chef!"

"Waiters! The main course will be delayed slightly. Therefore, the customers may all have a free drink of choice while they're waiting. Get the bartenders busy, hurry up!" The waiter all went to bring news to the costumers.

"Pierre…" Siebold said, looking over at him and nodding. "You've done La Perle de la Mer proud, but I have a reputation to patch up. You may go; I will pay you double for going through this trouble." Pierre blinked, and then nodded.

"Thank you, boss. I'll see you tomorrow." Pierre left and Siebold went up the Antonia, not wanting to leave without seeing if she would even talk to him anymore.

"Antonia…" He started, but was cut off by the pastry chef, who didn't even bother to turn around to look at him.

"I have a dinner service to run, and no more time to waste on you!" she snapped, annoyed. "If you have something to say, it won't be today."

"…how about tomorrow night, then?" He said, taking one step closer to her and took a firm grip around her wrist that was already placed on the small of her back to hold her attention. He felt her freeze in her spot. Good. He leaned in and murmured in her ear:

"I'll make you dinner. Three course menu, all done by me and not by any of my chefs. Entrée, main and dessert. Be at La Perle de la Mer at midnight tomorrow. Don't be late… Antonia." Antonia felt a shiver go up her spine when his hot breath hit her sensitive skin. She swallowed, trying to stay focused. Siebold could be a very intimidating man when he wanted to, and that certainly worked in his advantage this time, and he knew it. His breath left a tingling sensation on her skin as he suddenly let go off her hand, and before she could react properly, he had already left. She shook her head, just in time to see her chefs coming over to her for a plate-up demonstration.

"Right…" She said, grabbing a warm plate. "…first off, the risotto goes in the middle…"

Siebold walked out of Fleur de la Cerise, feeling oddly satisfied with himself. She would show up tomorrow. Her curiosity always got the better of her, and he knew she couldn't resist the temptation. He chuckled to himself, a smirk forming on his lips.

"See you tomorrow, Antonia."


	5. Dinner for One

Chapter 5 – Dinner for One

"Renae, it's time, I need you on the pass for the last half hour of service! And service for table forty-five!"

Renae left her station and was immediately replaced by Marco, who was finished with all the main courses and now took over her job at plating up the Flaming Flower dessert. Antonia's head chef walked over to her boss by the pass, nodding.

"I'll take it from here, chef." She said, but a hint of concern was seen in her eyes. "Chef Antonia, are you all right?" Antonia looked more flustered and nervous than usual, even though she tried to keep her composure in front of her staff. Of course Renae, who had worked with her for a longer time than anyone else at Fleur de la Cerise saw right through the mask. Antonia sighed and pulled her fingers through her short black hair, twirling her rosy streak around her finger absentmindedly.

"I'm okay, Renae, but thank you for your concern. Look, I don't know exactly what tonight will bring, but Siebold and I have disagreements that need to be settled as soon as possible if both him and I are going to be able to run restaurants in this city. I'll do the inventory tomorrow morning instead of today, I'm certain there will still be time left to order everything we need tomorrow evening."

"No, chef, leave the inventory to me, I can order everything we need, don't worry about it."

"Are you sure?" Renae nodded. Her boss had too much on her mind for the time being, and Renae was in no hurry tonight. Besides, she had plenty of time to sleep in a bit tomorrow anyway. "If you insist then… thank you. Remember to write down your extra working hours so we get your salary right."

"I will, chef. Take care, and good luck." Antonia smiled, a bit sadly.

"Thank you, I'll do my best."

Antonia headed up to her penthouse apartment above Fleur de la Cerise, threw off her chef whites and headed into the shower. As the warm water hit her, she found herself in a weird emotional state, insanely anxious and calm at the same time. Her heart was racing, pounding fiercely in her chest, while her head was cool and collected. Weird…

She stepped out of the shower and headed for her walk-in closet to find something to wear, appropriate enough for La Perle de la Mer, but not for a date. It wasn't one after all.

"Cherri, cherrim!" Cherry the Cherrim, who usually stayed in the apartment to gaze over the darkening city in the evenings instead of coming down to the restaurant, had placed herself comfortably on a specially made bed by the bedroom window, and was now peering at her owner through her closed petals. Antonia gave her a smile, but it was quite weak.

"I'll be fine, Cherry, ma chérie." She said, trying to convince herself as much as her companion. "I have to go to La Perle de la Mer, as I told you earlier, but I will be right back when I'm done there. Do you want to go and take care of the restaurant with Renae downstairs?"

"Cherrim, cher, cher, cherrim!"

"You want to go with me in your PokéBall?" Antonia said, raising an eyebrow. "Well, I can't deny you that. Jump in when you're ready to go… but you must have patience, don't do anything rash."

"Cherrim!" Cherry jumped into her PokéBall, already placed in Antonia's handbag. Cherry, although she preferred solitude and liked to take it easy, was very protective of Antonia and could be quite quick to rush into action if one wasn't prepared for it. She did listen to Antonia, however, and wouldn't attack if her trainer didn't tell her to do so.

Antonia pulled on a simple rosy kimono and fastened a black sash around her waist. She applied some make-up, checked everything she needed was in her bag, then slipped on her shoes and headed downstairs and out the door into the near-midnight Lumiose City. She drew a deep, shaky breath and started walking towards La Perle de la Mer. What exactly had she gotten herself into?

~La Perle de la Mer~

Siebold put the granita back into the freezer and headed over to the restaurant area. Service was over and all his chefs had left, all done with the washing up and cleaning the kitchen. He had then prepared a single table in the VIP-area of the restaurant, now sitting all by itself in the middle of the room. The candles were lit and cast shadow and light on the walls around them, creating the feeling of actually being surrounded by water. An underwater wonderland, a coral reef.

Deeming the setting perfect, Siebold placed a bottle of fine Kalosian champagne in an ice bucket and put it on the table, now all set and ready when Antonia arrived. Which would be pretty soon.

He had everything ready to go, and he had prepared everything himself. Awaiting his special guest was a three-course meal, starting with a class of champagne accompanied by a small selection of berries as a kind of appetizer to keep her occupied while he finished off and plated the entrée: cheese soufflé with a light, simple green salad. The main course would be stuffed Portobello mushroom with crisp vegetables, basil tagliatelle and aioli, and finally, the dessert was a fresh lemon ricotta granita. Siebold was aware that Antonia probably wouldn't be too impressed with the dessert, but he had focused on doing as good a job as possible with the entrée and the main instead. Savory was his area of expertise after all, and he wanted to show her just how delicious he could make food taste… and look.

Just as he headed back to the kitchen, the doorbell rang. She was here. Siebold glanced at the clock. Half past midnight. Perfect.

He headed over to the kitchen entrance and opened the door. For some reason, his heart skipped a beat, and he sincerely hoped it hadn't shown in his face that a gasp had been only a breath away from escaping his lips. Antonia looked stunning, a work of art, just like the food she created. Every strand of hair was in its right place, every detail in her outfit and make-up was spot on and perfect. His ocean blue eyes met her sapphires, peering at him through her glasses, catching the light from the street lamps which made them glisten like she had the stars from above reflecting in her soul.

Antonia cocked her head to the side, a smug smile finding its way to her face. So, it didn't take more than this to actually silence the great Siebold? She had a million mocking comments ready to go, but decided against it. She wanted to explore further without having him lose his nerve immediately. Besides, her head felt a bit dizzy looking up at the tall, blond master trainer and chef in front of her. Intimidating, he was… just a bit.

"Good evening, Siebold." She said instead, not once breaking the eye-contact.

"Good evening, Antonia." He replied. "Step inside. I do hope you are hungry." He held the door open for her and stepped aside so she could slip past him into the restaurant.

"Well, considering I haven't eaten since lunchtime, I should be starving." Antonia said, waiting for Siebold to show her the way to wherever she was going.

"Good." He said, walking up beside her. "Follow me."

He led her to the VIP-area and held out the chair for her. Antonia sat down in silence, scanning the area. Interesting… she felt the setting and the area to be calm, yet intimidating… just like Siebold. As the thought struck her, she felt a bit dizzy again, her head going a million miles an hour. That was it. She was taking a look inside Siebold's very soul by dining here, at his star restaurant. The very thought made her feel even more nervous and flustered than before. _Calm down_ , she told herself, _just calm down_...

Siebold opened the bottle of champagne and poured her a glass of it. He then took the cloche off the berry plate, complete with a small bowl of light whipped cream.

"A small appetizer, if you will." Siebold said. "Tonight, you'll be treated to a three course meal prepared and served entirely by myself. Any critique that you have, let me have it immediately or when you are finished, whichever you prefer. Now, I'll be right back with your entrée. Cheers." A light smirk formed on his lips at the last word as he gave her nod, then turned around on his heel and walked over to the kitchen to finish off the soufflé dish. Everything was ready to go, he just had to see to it the soufflé was still properly warm and then plate up. This was going to be an entertaining evening…

Antonia, still feeling a bit uneasy by the thoughts running through her head, hadn't really listened to a word Siebold had spoken to her. Something about a three course meal, just as he had promised yesterday. Right. Champagne.

She took a sip of her drink. It was exquisite, very fine Kalosian champagne indeed. She tried a berry both with and without whipped cream with the champagne, and found it was delicious either way. An excellent combination, she noted, ready to notify him of the fact that she was satisfied with the appetizer. Lying to him wouldn't be an option at all, he knew what he was doing after all, and he knew his risotto yesterday had been a disaster. That was in the past. This was now, and she would respect that.

Siebold soon returned with another plate, replacing the berries in front of her.

"Soufflé fromage with a simple green salad." He said, introducing the dish. "How did you find the appetizer, mademoiselle?" _Mademoiselle_ … It didn't sound like he was mocking her, but still a bit weird. They always called each other by their first names, and Antonia just wasn't used to being called _mademoiselle_ by him.

"The champagne was exquisite, and the berries complimented it very nicely." She said, having promised to herself she would be honest.

"Excellent." Siebold said, not moving from his spot, standing right behind her on her right hand side. "I hope you enjoy the entrée just as much." He pulled out a bottle of expensive white wine and poured it into her glass. "Please, have taste." He still didn't move.

Her heart racing in her chest and her stomach turning into a knot, Antonia picked up her cutlery and did as she was asked to. The plating was artful and elegant, and in moments it would all be gone. She tasted the salad first, then the soufflé. It was mouthwatering; neither heavy nor light, the cheese salty, a little sweet and creamy at the same time, but not overpowering. The salad went really well with it, giving it another texture and some acidity due to the light vinaigrette drizzled over it. Not to mention that the wine completed the circle of taste perfectly. Taking her silence as a good sign, Siebold smiled smugly to himself.

"You seem to be enjoying it. Good. I shall prepare your main course now; don't want to keep a customer waiting." He left and Antonia relaxed a bit, immersing herself in the food instead.

She hadn't been finished for a long time before the main course appeared before her, accompanied by a glass of red wine this time.

"How did you find the entrée, Antonia?" Back to first name. Antonia relaxed a bit at the familiarity.

"Full circle. Complete. Complex, yet simple…" she was cut off by a hand grasping her shoulder, gently but firmly. He was certainly testing her. She swallowed, trying to regain composure. "…it was elegant." She finished.

"Music to my ears." Siebold said, placing his other hand on her other shoulder. "Cooking is a form of art. That's what our master taught us, and it's something we've both embraced. A form of art most satisfying, in the sense that you know it will disappear moments after it's made, but you also know it brought someone pleasure in the process. Isn't that a thought most extraordinary and irrational, Antonia? Yet, it's true."

Antonia didn't know what to answer, stunned at his words and actions. A shiver went down her spine as Siebold gave her shoulders a light squeeze before letting go, leaving them feel cold due to his warm hand no longer being in contact with them.

"Enjoy your main course. My dessert for the evening can't possibly top any of yours, but I sincerely hope you'll find it at least completes the three course meal in a most… sensible way, if you will."

He left again, and Antonia took a deep breath, exhaling slowly before taking in the main course. Another work of art on the plate, and it smelled amazing. It tasted even more amazing. She was content with the dish, and felt it complimented the entrée nicely, or rather; the entrée had complimented the main course really nicely. Part of her wanted to stay and eat more of Siebold's food the whole night through, and another part wanted to run out the door right now and never come back. A third part, however, made her finish her main course and stay put in her place to wait for the dessert. She wasn't expecting much, but then again, she was a world-class pastry chef, and Siebold wasn't. A world-class chef, yes, but no pastry chef at all.

"How was the main course?" Siebold asked, as he served her dessert, this time accompanied with some sparkling dessert wine.

"Perfection." Antonia said, still keeping her promise of being honest. "The flavors, the textures, the plating, the whole composition… no, more of a choreography, really, all fitting together like clockwork, fascinating and unpredictable if you don't know how clockwork works."

"Such words I don't deserve from you, Antonia, not after my grave errors yesterday." Siebold said, his voice having an underlying sharpness in it. Her honesty was working. He was cracking, exposing himself both through the food and the whole pressure of having to accept the honest critique.

"Well, had you put in the same effort in your cooking yesterday as you have tonight, I wouldn't be sitting here eating this most delicious food." Antonia said, turning her head slightly to meet his gaze. "Now, sit down while I have my dessert. What do you have for me?"

"Lemon ricotta granita." Siebold said, grabbing a chair and sitting down in front of her. Antonia ate her dessert in silence, Siebold watching her every move, trying to figure out what she was thinking. Somehow, he hadn't expected her to be so honest in her critique; then again, he kicked himself for not preparing for it. He should have. That was exactly who she was, and thinking about it further, he would probably had done the same. He was snapped out of his thoughts by Antonia speaking up, her dessert bowl empty.

"You know what I would like to say, and so I will: Desserts aren't your forte. However, you have decent pastry chefs working for you, and you have an understanding of flavor, an excellent one at that. This dessert does complete the menu, like you said it would, but it lacks the fun a dessert should be. A dessert can't be serious, it needs more. There, you have all my thoughts. All in all, I did enjoy the food, you're an extraordinary chef, and I'm certainly not hungry anymore." Antonia leaned back in her chair, taking a sip of her dessert wine that she hadn't quite finished yet, and waiting for his response. Siebold collected his thoughts.

"I can but thank you for and admire your honesty." He said. "And based on you critique, I see I have things I need to correct. Now, Antonia, what about you?"

Antonia slowly placed her glass back down on the table. So this was where he was headed. Well, she couldn't very well refuse now… She took a deep breath before answering.

"Fine, Siebold, two can play this game." She stood up and grabbed her handbag. Siebold rose from his seat as well, looking intently at her, receiving a gaze just as intense back. "Same time tomorrow, at Fleur de la Cerise, I will have a meal ready for you and you alone." She walked up to him, standing as close as she dared to, looking up at him. She murmured, barely audibly: "Prepare for a very special seven course menu. I can see myself out. Good night, Siebold."

Before he had time to say anything else, Antonia had turned around and left, letting herself out through the kitchen door. Siebold was left standing in the VIP-area, alone with the now low-burning candles and a table emptied of food. In the distance, he heard the door close. He exhaled slowly, his heart still pounding in a hard, but steady, rhythm. He had known he was intimidating to her, and his plan had been to play that card to his advantage. In hindsight, it had backfired on him. She was an intimidating woman when she wanted to be, and had been more than on note with the "game", as she had called it.

He would show up at Fleur de la Cerise tomorrow night. He was too curious not to. Besides, Antonia had showed up tonight. He couldn't very well not accept her invitation.

Antonia made her way back to her penthouse, closing the door and leaning back on it, slumping down on the floor. She had some work to do, if she was going to treat Siebold to a seven course menu tomorrow night. It had to be perfect. Especially the desserts.

"There's only one thing for it…" She murmured to herself, swallowing. "…Cherry Blossom…"

She was going to expose herself just as much as Siebold had tonight and possibly more. The mere thought made her nervous, anxious, and even scared. But now, there was no turning back. He would show up tomorrow, and she was going to give him a once in a lifetime experience.


	6. Cherry Blossom

Chapter 6 – Cherry Blossom

"Chef Antonia…" Antonia turned to face her head chef, as Renae came over to her. "…leave the inventory to me again. I can come in tomorrow morning to do it, and I can order everything we need. Forgive me for being blunt, but you really look like you need to focus right now. He's coming here today, isn't he? Leave the inventory for today; I believe you have other things to think about right now." Antonia sighed.

"You read me like an open book, Renae." She said, smiling weakly at her. "And you really are a guardian angel. Again, just remember to fill in your extra hours. I need to repay you properly; how about a day off, any day of choice for you?" Renae smiled, shaking her head a bit.

"I kindly accept the offer, of course. I'll be leaving now, everyone else has already left. See you tomorrow, chef."

"Till tomorrow, Renae. Thank you!" Antonia called after her. She left the pantry herself, glad and thankful to have one thing off her mind and went to finish off the preparations for Siebold's seven course menu. She didn't have much time left, but she would be ready.

~Half past midnight~

The doorbell rang. Antonia went over to open, finding herself face to face with Siebold. Again. Just as intimidating as before.

"I've been expecting you." Antonia said. Siebold smirked.

"Have I kept you waiting? My apologies." He said. Antonia felt a blush creep up on her cheeks.

"Do come in."

She showed him to the dining area, her VIP-area, as he had had her dine in his yesterday. A table under a cherry tree on a patch of grass, lit up by tiny lights that created a most magical feeling. In front of the table lay a magnificent centerpiece, and Siebold stopped when he saw it. There was a lot of work behind that centerpiece. It was formed like a Johto garden in miniature, and everything was edible; from the cherry trees to the grass, from the pebbles to the ponds, even the vine arches and the shrine in the middle. Everything was edible. And everything was certainly most spectacular.

"Have a seat." Antonia said, motioning him to sit down by the table. Siebold did as she wished, looking at her intently, waiting. She poured him champagne and said:

"As promised, seven courses specially prepared by me for you tonight. The first one is in front of you, and is available through the whole… banquet, if you will. Now, I will be right back with the second course. Enjoy."

Antonia left and Siebold examined the centerpiece. A true work of art. Slowly, almost hesitantly, not really wanting to destroy the creation, he picked up some pebbles, under which he found some soil that he scooped us as well, a few branches, a couple of vines… bits and pieces here and there. It was delicious, a great appetizer, with all kinds of flavors and textures. It worked well with the champagne, but then again, Siebold was quite sure it would have gone well with almost anything. He scooped up some of the liquid in one of the ponds into a small glass and tasted it. Some kind of cocktail drink, colored blue. Interesting, and certainly refreshing and tasty.

Antonia soon returned with the second course, artichoke soup. Siebold ate his way through the culinary journey, undeniably impressed, though he did have a remark or two concerning her savory dishes. Just as Antonia had expected him to do.

"How did you find the sweet potato croquettes?"

"A joy to behold and a joy to taste." Siebold answered. "It could yet be perfected into something absolutely amazing."

"…I know. Thank you."

But when it was time for dessert, Siebold couldn't find a single flaw. The first one was best described as a savory dessert that acted as a bridge between the main courses and the actual desserts. It was a phyllo pouch filled with guava and cheese, served with passion fruit syrup. It was delicious, but even more so was the Forbidden Fruit that was his second to last course. Antonia placed in front of him a luscious red apple, that turned out not to be an apple at all…

"One of the most loved desserts and one of my personal favorites, Forbidden Fruit." Antonia said. Her heart was pounding, knowing what she was going to serve him next. Siebold cut the apple open, revealing layers most complex, consisting of different kinds of chocolate in different consistencies, and at the core a jelly sphere, filled with what seemed to be some kind of red liquor. Siebold froze in his spot when he suddenly felt Antonia's warm breath on his skin, whispering into his ear:

"Enjoy." She left. Siebold exhaled slowly, a bit shakily, before tasting the Forbidden Fruit dessert. It was heavenly. Absolutely smashing. As he ate more of it, his heart was picking up its pace. If this was her second to last dish, what was he going to get next?

Antonia plated up her final dish in the kitchen, carefully, her hands steady although she was shaking like a leaf in the wind on the inside. This had to be perfect. She was about to basically lay herself on a plate in front of Siebold, and he would know she did exactly that. The thought frightened her as much as it… excited her? Maybe? She couldn't tell. She was too focused on plating up. Then she just needed to warm up the cherry juice and the red wine, and then… it would be finished.

Picking up the plate and the jug of warm cherry and wine, Antonia took a deep breath. Here went nothing.

Siebold watched as Antonia entered the VIP-area with her seventh and final dish. Immediately he noticed something was different. Did she look… nervous? She came up to him and placed the plate on the table. She then lit a rosy pink candle, formed like cherry flower, in front of the plate, a vague and volatile scent of cherry blossom reaching Siebold's sensitive nose. She drew a shaky breath, not able to hide her anxiety anymore, and poured the warm, red liquid onto the plate.

At the moment she breathed in, Siebold was hit with the realization that was he was experiencing now was something perhaps no one had ever experienced before: an insight into Antonia, her soul, her everything. This was something very special, and this dish personified it all. He watched in awe as the deep red liquid hit the plate and spread onto the bottom, melting a thin belt of light pink colored white chocolate that held five flower buds closed. As they melted, the flowers opened, blossoming in front of him. Five cherry flowers, each with a different filling, each looking as spectacular as the other. Magic. Magic on a plate.

"There you have it." Antonia said, her voice cracking slightly. "My baby; the signature dish of Fleur de la Cerise: Cherry Blossom."

Siebold could only stare, awestruck. The dessert in front of him was astoundingly beautiful, a true masterpiece. And she had served it to him. This was not only a reflection of her soul, it was her heart. Right there. Exposed.

Antonia finally took a seat beside him, just like he had done when she had her last course, but she couldn't sit in front since the centerpiece was in the way.

"Bon appetite." She said, giving him nervous smile before looking down at her hands. Siebold lifted his gaze from the dish to its maker, looking at her intently.

"It's beautiful." He said, his voice barely above a whisper. Antonia gave up light gasp, blushing furiously. Had he been honest before, this compliment was directly from his heart. And she certainly recognized the difference.

"…thank you." She whispered. "P-please, enjoy."

Siebold watched her for a moment longer, then nodded and did as she wished. Cherry Blossom. It was downright divine. Never, ever had Siebold tasted any other dessert like it in his life. Everything came together. The show, the scent, the taste, the flavors, the textures… everything. Every single detail was a separate artwork, and yet, somehow, it all came together like a complex tile puzzle. It made sense, and yet it didn't.

Having finished, Siebold turned his gaze back to Antonia, who had been watching him the whole time, searching an answer to her unspoken question in his actions. He was going to give her an answer.

"Breathtaking." Siebold said, his voice still barely above a whisper. "Divine. Just as beautiful in taste as it was in looks. Masterful."

To his amazement, Antonia's mouth opened, then closed, speechless. She felt a stinging, salty tear escaping her eye and rolling down her cheek. Clenching her jaw, she turned her head away from him.

"…excuse me." She said, her voice cracking, as she prepared herself to get up and run into the kitchen to hopefully calm down. However, she was stopped dead in her tracks before she even got the chance to stand up. A firm, warm hand was took hold of hers and didn't let go. Tears uncontrollably welled up in Antonia's eyes and fell down her cheeks. She felt exposed, completely naked in front of him; all of her laid out in front of him on a plate. Siebold knew this, and that knowledge made her feel even more vulnerable. Finally, a sob escaped from her. She was unable to hold back any longer.

"Antonia…" Siebold tightened his grip around her hand, "…Antonia, look at me." But she could not bear herself to do so. Instead, another sob became her answer. Siebold rose from his seat and pulled her up with him. Antonia gasped in surprise at the sudden action, finding herself in a tight embrace against his chest. "Listen to me, Antonia." Finally, she looked up at him, this time immediately caught in his icy blue gaze. "I mean it. Every word. It's a beautiful piece of art; delicate, elegant, magical, absolutely divine. Just like its creator. It's you on a plate, a reflection of your heart and soul. You were brave to serve me that."

Siebold cupped her cheek, looking at her so intently the gaze felt electrical. Antonia's heart was racing in her chest, her head going a million miles an hour. She swallowed.

"I…" She started in a voice, barely audible, but was hushed by Siebold placing an index finger on her lips.

"No more need for words." He said, his face so close to hers she could feel his warm breath on her lips, making them tingle, even ache. So close. "Cherry Blossom. That dish told me all I needed to know. You are the Cherry Blossom, ma belle cerise. Je t'aime, ma chérie, non, je t'adore."

Before Antonia had the time to process what she had just heard, Siebold had finally closed the gap between them and claimed her lips with his, sweeping her off her feet in a passionate kiss. Antonia felt a bit dizzy, but found herself caught in the moment and kissed him back. The taste of the Cherry Blossom still lingered in his mouth, which she discovered when he decided to explore every corner of hers. She felt weak in the knees, and was sure she would have fallen unless he had held her in such a tight embrace.

Siebold kissed Antonia with fierce passion, pulling her as close to him as was physically possible. In his mind, kissing her tasted far better than anything she had just served him, even topping the Cherry Blossom. This was something he'd never thought he would do. In fact, this was among the very last things he'd ever thought he would do. And now that he did, he realized it was something he had really wanted to do… for some time already.


	7. Sweet Sanctuary

Chapter 7 – Sweet Sanctuary

Antonia woke up, feeling dizzy. She was lying on her couch, partially atop the man she had dragged up the stairs to her penthouse apartment from the restaurant. Her head was comfortably placed on Siebold's shoulder, her arm over his chest, his arm around her shoulders. They had been making out. A lot. For how long, she had no idea.

She glanced over at the clock and was surprised to see it was only five in the morning, considering the seven course menu had taken around two hours to get through… no, a little more than that, perhaps. It had gone pretty well. Then she had served him Cherry Blossom. And he kissed her…

Antonia stared in front of her, her gaze focused on Siebold's hand that was placed atop her own, but her mind was going through a series of mixed emotions that didn't seem to fit together at all, which made her confused. Lost. _I need to clear my head_ , she told herself, _I really need to process_...

Careful not to wake up the sleeping chef, Antonia rose from the couch and made her way over to the kitchen. Here she felt at home. Safe. The kitchen was more or less a sanctuary to her, and as she stepped in through the door, she immediately felt a bit more focused. That was a good start.

Her gaze wandered through the kitchen as she started going through her pantry, looking for something she could make without having to borrow anything from the restaurant pantry. Speaking of which, Renae would probably be arriving around seven to go through the inventory. Bless her. Antonia found apples, magost berries, cream, flour, sugar, eggs, marzipan… yes, just about whatever would do. She just needed to bake. Right now.

~A while later~

Siebold opened his eyes and blinked. He was lying on a couch in a rather large living room that looked rather cozy yet elegant. A single small lamp, formed like a cherry tree, was lit, casting a warm and soothing light over the room. Antonia had fallen asleep with him on the couch, but she wasn't there anymore.

Antonia… Siebold sighed to himself, feeling somewhat content. She had served him the most extraordinary, magnificent masterpiece of a dessert, and he had kissed her. More importantly, she had kissed him back. She had taken him upstairs to this enormous penthouse apartment, not that he had had the time to have a tour of it yet. He had mostly acquainted himself with Antonia's delicious lips… her skin… and then her couch. And judging by the lovely smell in the apartment, she had found her way to the kitchen.

Siebold rose from the couch and stretched. He looked around and then headed in the direction the wondrous smell was coming from, assuming he would find the kitchen. Indeed, he did.

Antonia was sitting on a bar stool by the table, forming cherry flowers of different sizes out of marzipan, putting them neatly on a tray one by one. Now Siebold also saw the cause of the lovely smell, or rather, smells: some golden apple tarte tatins were neatly lined up on a bench, and a bunch of melting moments-cookies with whipped cream and magost berry jam were elegantly presented on layered trays. Antonia herself looked lost in thought, more or less mindlessly working on the marzipan flowers. If they became that beautiful when she wasn't focusing, how beautiful would they be if she actually was?

Siebold walked up to her, waited until she put the flower she had been working on down on the tray before gently placing his hands on her shoulders. She tensed up a bit, as if part of her had been aware of his presence, but had forgotten to tell the other part of her that fact. Siebold proceeded to lightly, but firmly, massage her shoulders and she slowly relaxed into the touch.

"It smells lovely in here, Antonia." Siebold said.

"…thank you." She managed to answer. Darn, he really was skilled with his hands, like one would expect a chef to be.

"You're troubled, I can feel it." Siebold continued. Antonia's heart pumped a tad faster, being confronted like this. On the other hand… maybe it was time to talk. She drew a deep breath, and then sighed.

"I'm just… confused." She started, searching for words as Siebold continued to work his way through every tense muscle in her shoulders and her neck. "I was comfortable and confident up to the point when I started plating up the Cherry Blossom. That dish means a lot to me. It's not only the signature dish for Fleur de la Cerise, it's the signature dish for all my restaurants, my personal signature. As I said, my baby. You know this already, but placing that plate in front of you… it felt like I placed myself on that plate, like I laid exposed right there before your eyes. The feeling was overwhelming. I wanted to, and at the same time, I really didn't. I felt so vulnerable." She paused, letting out a slight moan as he proceeded to work more carefully on her neck.

"Then… well, your critique. Right from your heart. Like you knew I had placed my heart on the table, taken it from my chest and offered it to you. You were honest before, but for the last dish, it reached another level of honesty. I felt like I was going to crack, break right there. I was ready to run away when you stopped me. Held me. Kissed me…" She moaned again as Siebold worked his way up on the sides of her head.

"I lost my ability to think properly, or whatever I had left of it, everything just stopped. I remember kissing you back. I remember taking you with me up here. When I woke up a while ago I felt dizzy, like someone had injected a cloud into my head. I needed to collect my thoughts, and so I decided to come here, to the kitchen. My sweet sanctuary. This is where I feel at home, safe and alive." Running out of words, Antonia let herself go in the sensation that was Siebold's hands massaging her thoroughly and carefully, feeling and finding every knot.

Siebold didn't speak until he finished treating Antonia's muscles, and then he gently turned her around on the bar stool so her back was facing the counter and he stepped in front of her. When sitting this high up, they were almost at eye level, although Siebold was still taller. Antonia looked up into his ocean blue gems while he gazed into her sapphires. He leaned on counter, trapping her between himself and it.

"Tell me, Antonia…" He said, their faces not quite touching, but extremely close, "…and be honest… no, I don't need to tell you that, you will be anyway. Tell me, now that you have collected your thoughts a bit, do you want me to stay or leave, and why?"

Antonia didn't answer. Instead, she leaned forward enough to give him a short, sweet kiss, before letting go again. Siebold nodded.

"I agree." He said. He kissed her passionately, his hands leaving the counter to embrace her tightly. Antonia's arms found their way around his neck, tangling into his blond hair and pulling him closer. Dear Arceus, he was a good kisser…

They broke apart a while later, out of breath, immediately locked in each other's gaze again. Antonia was the first to speak.

"Have some tarte tatin and melting moments with me. Then you should go, for Renae is coming to do the inventory in an hour and you and I should both get some sleep before service tonight."

"True." Siebold said. "We should. Thankfully it's Monday, earlier closing times…" He raised an eyebrow, eyeing her. "I would fancy some tarte tatin and melting moments, it smells delicious in here. But will I see you later?" A smug smile formed on Antonia's face.

"I'll make us some tea. And yes, you will see me à tout à l'heure." A smile just as smug appeared on Siebold's face.

"Trés magnifique."


	8. Table for Two

Chapter 8 – Table for two

"Renae, how am I ever going to repay you for this?" Antonia said, neatly putting everything she needed into a carrying case. Renae laughed.

"I'm doing it by my own initiative and for you, chef, there's really no need to repay me."

"Yes there is. I'd like to give you a pay rise." Renae gasped, almost dropping the notebook and pencil she was holding.

"Chef… there's really no need to…"

"Don't argue with me." Antonia said, smiling at her head chef. "You will soon have a family of three to feed, won't you? So how about it? A pay rise and a somewhat extended winter holiday this year?" Renae blushed. Antonia was really the only one, beside her husband, that knew she was pregnant, and that she was expecting in March the next year. An extended holiday would be very welcome.

"I cannot thank you enough, chef." She said, genuinely happy.

"You're always so formal, Renae. It's Antonia between the two of us, you know." Antonia stated, grabbing her coat.

"Well then, Antonia…" Renae said, "…I may perhaps tell you that you look stunning tonight."

"Thank you." The pastry chef smiled back. She was wearing a sleeveless black kimono with a rosy cherry blossom themed, ornamental design, matching her pitch-black hair, the rosy streak and her rosy-framed glasses perfectly. The sash around her waist was also rosy and black. She wore a satin scarf in the same theme and a pair of earrings with rosy crystals shaped as flower petals. Cherry flower petals, of course.

Renae had another question on her mind, but wasn't sure she'd dare ask. Antonia, however, wasn't blind, and while putting on her coat she said:

"You can speak freely with me, Renae. I do consider you a dear friend, even though I might be your boss."

"You read me like an open book." Renae said, smiling apologetically. "I just… I'm curious. You're going to see Siebold, aren't you?"

"You wonder what's going on, naturally." Antonia said, nodding. "Of course you do. And you have the right to be curious, and you also have the right to know, since you keep stepping in for me time and time again. Yes, I'm going to La Perle de la Mer to see Siebold." She paused and looked at her employee. "But you'd like a bit more information than that, I think. Well, after he completely screwed up in our kitchen last week, he invited me to dinner, a three course menu made by him and him only. Turns out his nerves got the better of him back in our kitchen last week, since he treated me to a most spectacular composition. I returned the favor and treated him to a seven course menu, well, six courses and the centerpiece I made during the day, finishing off with Cherry Blossom. This whole… dining-thing, whatever I should call it, somehow helped us to get a better understanding of each other and… well, here we are." Antonia shrugged, smiling slightly. "He asked if he would see me tonight, and I told him he would." She glanced at the clock on the wall. "And now I need to leave before he leaves the restaurant. I don't want him to lock up just yet."

Renae's smile had turned smug.

"Don't worry; I'll do the inventory and all the orders so we're ready to go tomorrow again. Have a nice evening, chef." Antonia couldn't help but laugh.

"Didn't I tell you, it's Antonia. But thanks anyway, we shall see…"

Renae's smug smile grew wider as Antonia waved and bid her good night, leaving Fleur de la Cerise. Her boss sure caught herself a big Gyarados this time… For Siebold, in her mind, was quite the catch.

~La Perle de la Mer~

Siebold closed the door to the pantry and placed the inventory notebook and pencil back in their folder by the pantry door. He then went over to the computer to order everything they needed for tomorrow by simply scanning the papers he had just filled in and sending them to the company that supplied him with produce.

He had just turned off the computer when the doorbell rang. Siebold froze. Then, a smug smile crept up on his lips. That could only be one person.

Siebold went to open the door, and as he had expected, it was Antonia. She tilted her head to the side and mirrored his smirk.

"Evening, Siebold. I told you that you would see me tonight."

"Evening, fair Antonia." He answered as he stepped aside to let her in. Not expecting the "fair", Antonia's heart skipped a beat and then raced a bit. This man was full of surprises, it seemed.

As Siebold, like a proper gentleman, helped Antonia to get her coat off, he almost dropped it to the floor when he got to look at her fully. She was a magnificent piece of art herself. She was Cherry Blossom. Antonia noticed his awe, and smiled, a tad smugly.

"I think you like what you see." She said, peering at him through her glasses, amused. Had it been anyone else, Siebold might have been embarrassed, but it was Antonia. And he knew they were at a stage where they quite shamelessly could stare all they liked. As if she had read his thoughts, she scanned him up and down, just as shamelessly.

"You know…" She continued, walking up to him, "…I quite like what I see too."

It was Siebold's turn to smirk. He had been expecting her, but he wasn't sure when, so he had given Marco the last half hour at the pass to go to have a shower and change into something more appropriate for an evening with a world-class pastry chef. He had decided a white suit with a blue bow tie would be quite all right. And he hadn't been wrong.

Instead of answering with words, Siebold gently, but firmly, cupped her cheeks and pulled her in for a kiss. Antonia closed her eyes and kissed him back, enjoying every last bit of it. Then she remembered she actually had come to La Perle de la Mer with an idea, and when they finally broke apart, she looked up at him and spoke:

"Siebold, I have brought with me some prepped ingredients for an appetizer and a drink to go with it, as well as a dessert. How fast can you make an entrée and a main course for the both of us, because it won't take long for me to plate up?" Siebold's smirk grew wider.

"A challenge? Give me…" he looked at the clock on the wall and pondered for a second. "Entrée and main… give me an hour."

"Go for it!"

~An hour later~¨

"I'm finished." Siebold said, quite pleased with himself, as he took off his chef whites and pulled on his suit again, smiling smugly. A trademark of his of late.

"So am I." Antonia said, smiling back just as smugly. "Now, light the candles on the table over there and I will be over with our appetizers in a moment." Siebold did as he was told, walking out of the kitchen into the VIP-area to light the candles on the neatly laid table. He then stood by Antonia's chair, waiting for her to arrive with the appetizers so he could pull it out for her.

Shortly afterwards, Antonia showed up with some filled zucchini flowers and champagne. She placed everything on the table and nodded to Siebold, thankful, as he helped her be seated. He then poured them both some champagne and sat down himself. He lifted his glass.

"To amazing food… and to us." Antonia lifted her glass as well, smiling.

"Agreed."

~Somewhat later~

"That… was… delicious." Siebold said, leaning back in his chair and placing the napkin back on the table. "Lily of Love, you called it? It doesn't top the Cherry Blossom, but still picture perfect and magnificent."

"Kind words, I hear. Thank you." Antonia said, smiling smugly. "Should we clean this up?"

"Don't be ridiculous, ma chérie." Siebold said, chuckling. "Let's just put everything on the trolley, I'll take it to the kitchen and do the dishes tomorrow." He rose from his seat. "You see, I'd like you to invite you up to my apartment for a drink, what say you?"

He smirked at her, and Antonia smirked back. A drink? Sure…

"That sounds like an excellent idea, and I kindly accept the invitation." She said as Siebold helped her with her chair like the perfect gentleman.

"Excellent. I'll be right back."

As Siebold left the room, Antonia suddenly felt her heart race and her head a bit dizzy due to all the thoughts going through it. She had a feeling where this was going, and Siebold was probably thinking the same thing. But he had invited her for a drink. There would still be time to… think. Then again, she didn't really want to think. _Just let it go_ , she thought, _let it go_ …

She had been so immersed in thoughts she jumped a little when a warm, strong arm slid around her waist. She looked up into the ocean blue eyes above her. The smirk was still there. Instantly, Antonia's dizziness was gone, although her heart was still racing on a Rhyhorn. She smirked back.

"My apartment is above the restaurant." Siebold said in a low voice. "Not as big as your penthouse, but decent. Shall we?"

Instead of answering immediately, Antonia stood up on her tiptoes to give him a short, but passion filled, kiss. When they broke apart, she lingered close to his lips, breathing:

"We shall."


	9. When Life gives you LEMONs

Chapter 9 – When Life gives you LEMONs…

As soon as the door closed behind them, Siebold pushed Antonia against it, kissing her fiercely. She kissed him back, eagerly, hungrily, like the whole meal they had just had was just an appetizer. Her hands found their way to his soft, blond hair, entangling her fingers in his locks. Siebold ran his hands up her body, feeling a rapidly increasing need to find out what Cherry Blossom was all about. And he would find out. He had been tempted to do so in her apartment last night, but had restrained himself. He respected her too much. And he knew Antonia respected him in return.

He pulled apart for only a moment, both of them breathing coarsely, heavily. Their faces still touching, Siebold whispered against Antonia's lips:

"Say the word and I'll stop whenever."

"A gentleman you are." She whispered back. "But don't you dare stop."

Enough talking.

Siebold let out a gasp in surprise as he suddenly found himself pushed backwards into a wall, Antonia's lips colliding with his. He instinctively grabbed her waist and pulled her closer, only to realize he was losing the war that was going on between their interlocked lips. He felt Antonia's smirk press against him as she successfully battled her way inside; tasting the sweet dessert they had eaten moments ago. Lily of Love. How fitting.

It was Antonia's turn to yelp as Siebold easily picked her up and carried her to the bedroom, placing her down on the bed and climbing on top of her, continuing the kiss. Antonia moaned as he explored her jawline and neck, kissing every inch until her moan got deeper, and then lightly biting down on that spot, gently scratching his teeth over the soft area. She gasped. It was yet again his turn to smirk.

Next thing he knew, Antonia had somehow managed to unbutton his shirt without him noticing, and gave him a stern look. Obediently, he sent his suit jacket and shirt flying. He gave her look just as stern back. She cocked an eyebrow, and then smiled a sweet, smug smile.

"An eye for an eye? Fair enough." She rose to undo the sash around her waist and Siebold got up as well, taking off her kimono. He rested a hand on the clasp of her bra behind her back, pulling it back slightly and releasing it. Antonia gave up a moan and a light chuckle.

"You can do better than that." She said, her gaze burning with seduction and mischief. Siebold smirked. He unclasped her bra, letting it fall to the floor.

"Of course." He murmured back, running his hands up and down her bare chest. He gave one of her breasts a spank. Antonia gasped and moaned at the same time. He pulled her closer, ran his hand down to her pants and pulled her closer, grinding against her. With the other hand he found one of her nipples and twisted, not too roughly, but enough to hear another gasp of pleasure escape her lips. Antonia shivered as he kissed and bit her neck and shoulders, and her hands ventured up to take a hold of his head and neck, pulling on his hair slightly to get him closer. He groaned as she arched her back, grinding back.

"I want to explore all of you, Cherry Blossom…" Siebold murmured in between bites and kisses, his voice a little muffled against her skin, "…but I can't contain myself."

"Don't." Antonia said as another moan escaped her lips as his treatment became more hungry and lustful. "I assure you, you will have time to find out more."

"Good."

He pushed her down on the bed again, grabbing her only piece of clothing left and throwing it away. Then he did the same to his pants and boxers. Antonia lay on her side, watching him strip down. When he was done, she smirked. He simply returned it.

Practically leaping into the bed beside her, Siebold was immediately taken aback when Antonia rolled on top of him, kissing him fiercely, her lady garden agonizingly close to his manhood. He reached for a drawer and pulled out a condom, his hands shaky when putting it on as Antonia continued to explore his naked upper body. When it was on, however, she didn't waste any more time.

Siebold groaned and Antonia gasped slightly as she took him inside her, adjusting herself comfortably atop him and grinded, getting used to the feeling. Siebold's hands roamed her body, finding their way down to her hips and held her as she started to ride. She was already close; he could feel it, as she trembled a little more each time. He found her breasts teasing her nipples and she arched her back in response, taking hold of his legs behind her and started going faster. So close…

"Antonia…" Siebold managed to hiss, as he had to restrain himself to the max not to come before she did. "Hurry."

She didn't respond, but didn't need to. She reached to top, tipping over the edge, somewhere in between moaning his name and falling on top of him, gasping for air, trembling.

Her muscles tightened around him, making Siebold see stars. He quickly rolled the over so he was on top, grabbing her behind with one hand and steadying himself with the other, pumping fiercely in and out. Antonia's nails dug into his back, her now loud moans mixed with his groans.

"Siebold!" She gasped. That did it. Pleasure took over his whole body, rushing through him in one forceful wave, making him feel almost numb. He thrust into her a few more times, then collapsed on top of her, breathing heavily. Antonia, still catching her breath, stroke his hair with one hand and ran the other up and down his back. Siebold shivered a bit at the touch against his tensed muscles, but then relaxed. He kissed along her neck and jawline and found her lips, claiming them.

They rolled over on the side, and he slid out of her. Trying to find their way under the sheets, Siebold slid off the condom and threw it in the trash, wiping off with a soft cloth before joining Antonia. He pulled her closer, and she rested her arm on his chest, lying half on top of him. Just like she had done on the couch last night. They found each other's eyes and smiled. Genuine smiles, all the smugness gone. Siebold kissed her, and she happily responded.

"Good night, Antonia." He murmured, reaching out to turn off the light on the night stand.

"Good night, Siebold.


	10. A Balance of Flavors

Chapter 10 – A Balance of Flavors

"Siebold… Siebold… morning…" Siebold drifted from the world of sleep into that of the awake, hearing a sweet voice cooing beside him. Close to him. Antonia.

He blinked and opened his eyes. Light was slipping in through the curtains, bathing the room in a golden light. He turned his slightly and locked gazes with the beautiful pâtissière. Her rosy streak of hair was all messed out between the black strands, and she hadn't put her glasses back on yet. She smiled down at him, and he returned it.

"Morning." He responded, reaching out a hand in an attempt to separate the rosy hair from the black. Antonia's smile widened at the gesture.

"Listen, handsome, I need to leave immediately, my attention is needed at Fleur de la Cerise. But if you'd care to drop by tonight, I'll be waiting for you. I can make us a treat or two up in my apartment. Sounds like a plan?" She cocked an eyebrow at him. Siebold groaned a bit and took her by surprise embracing her and rolling half on top of her.

"No breakfast?" He asked, planting Butterfree kisses along her neck.

"I'm sorry. I promise you can make me breakfast tomorrow if you drop by tonight." She chuckled, kissing his cheek. "But now I really need to move if I want to get to my apartment before the rest of my staff arrives."

"The rest?" Siebold asked puzzled, still kissing her neck.

"Renae's there already, Arceus bless her. And I really need to shower and iron my chef whites."

"If I get to actually make you breakfast at your apartment tomorrow, I suppose I can't but accept defeat for now." Siebold sighed and kissed her lightly on the lips. "I probably taste terrible; I don't want to disgust you with this awful morning breath of mine." At this, Antonia laughed.

"Like mine would be more delicious." She said, pecking him back. "Now, care to let me go?"

"Not really, but I have accepted defeat, as said." Siebold said with a dramatic sigh, rolling off her. "Want to borrow at least a hair brush before you head out?"

"Yes, please!" Antonia accepted the offer and headed off to the bathroom after him where she was given a hair brush and a can of hairspray. "Then at least I can walk back with some dignity."

"Walk?" Siebold said, taking out his HoloCaster. "Nonsense. I'm calling you a cab."

"What a gentleman. Thank you, mon cher." She said, smiling smugly while arranging her hair back to some sort of dignified hairdo.

"You're welcome, ma cerise. No pun intended." He said, smiling back just as smugly before heading to the living room to make the call. Antonia chuckled to herself. _From chérie to cerise_ … It was such a bad pun it was good.

~Early afternoon~

Siebold headed out the door, having decided to go for a stroll before work. He thought back to the nights before, and found himself smiling unconsciously. In the span of a week, Antonia had gone from being a nuisance to him to something far from that. He couldn't get enough of her, that much was certain. He chuckled inside at the thought. _Sweet treat_ … but she was more than a treat. A respectable pastry chef and most certainly a respectable woman. And he was determined on courting her the Kalosian way, the only way he knew.

Suddenly finding a purpose for his stroll, he went down to the flower shop and pondered long and hard before buying her an arrangement featuring light pink orchids. Exquisite flowers for a femme très belle.

Coming out of the flower shop he started down the street again, pondering whether to just bring the flowers or something else as well. The Kalosian way would have been flowers, chocolate and wine, but there was no way he was going to bring chocolate to a pastry chef that owned a chocolate factory of her own. Wine was also out of the question, she had a more than complete pantry of the best wines in the world.

The flowers would simply have to do. Now he could get some ingredients for the promised breakfast tomorrow…

~Fleur de la Cerise~

"I have arranged a day off for you on your birthday next month, like you asked. Would you like an extra day off before or after as well?"

"No, that won't be necessary, but thank you." Renae smiled at her boss, closing the door to the pantry. "Should I come in earlier tomorrow to iron the chef whites?"

"That won't be necessary; I found another drycleaner in town who also takes care of the ironing for a reasonable prize." Antonia smiled back. "Besides, ironing them was never your job in the first place, now was it?"

"No." Renae said, smiling apologetically. "I just figured that since our youngsters Callum and Patricia have to attend classes at the university tomorrow, they wouldn't have had the time to do it."

"I took that into consideration while looking for a new drycleaner. It's all taken care of, but thank you for the offer."

"Of course. Well, I guess I'll be taking my leave then…" Renae said, looking as if though she wanted to say something else. Antonia cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Please, Renae, speak your mind."

"No, I'm just curious." Renae admitted, blushing. "How it's going with… you know… Siebold." Antonia smiled at her.

"I'm expecting him tonight. Honestly, I don't know where it's going, Renae, but I can guess we will see a bit of his staff here and some of our own over at La Perle de la Mer as well in the future, now that we're actually getting along… that is, if the staff agrees." Renae seemed to breathe out a sigh of relief.

"If you ask me, the staff would love to." She said, nodding. "But if you're expecting company, I should leave. See you tomorrow, chef."

"Renae…"

"Oh, sorry... see you tomorrow, Antonia."

Renae left and Antonia picked up the finger food she had made earlier and took it with her up to the penthouse. She found Cherry asleep in the kitchen, content on her chair. She woke up when her trainer entered, letting out a cry of happiness. Antonia smiled at her and went up to her with a bowl of her favorite PokéPuffs. Cherry jumped up on the counter and happily munched on the fresh treats. Antonia gently stroke her petals.

"I'll have company today again, Cherry love. You have the patience of a mountain, do you know that? I have spent so little time with you lately my heart aches. I hope you can forgive me."

"Cherri, cherrim!" Cherry exclaimed in a voice that clearly said she thought her owner was being absolutely ridiculous. Antonia giggled, hugging her precious Pokémon.

"I'll make it up to you. Je t'aime."

"Cherrim!" Cherry said, nudging her, still munching on a PokéPuff. The love was mutual.

"I'll take a shower now." Antonia said, petting Cherry. "Siebold's coming over shortly. Do you remember Clawitzer? Would you to like to spend some time together?"

"Cherr… cherrim." Cherry said, as if she was shrugging. As Cherry always had been very protective of Antonia, she hadn't really approved of either Siebold or his Pokémon, sensing that her owner didn't like them either. But now that Antonia was okay with Siebold, maybe the two Pokémon could actually learn to know each other. "Cherrim!"

"You two can stay by the pool. Clawitzer would the water, and you have your grassy sanctuary there as well. Sounds okay?"

"Cherrim!"

~Later~

"Cherry and Clawitzer seem to be getting along nicely." Siebold commented as he entered the kitchen where Antonia was neatly arranging a variety of cheeses of trays, together with some grapes, figs and marmalade. "He was a bit wary at first, as Cherry was, but they seem to have a lot to talk about now."

"I figured they might like each other's company. I've spent so little time with Cherry the past week I feel absolutely horrible. Not that she minds, but still. Good thing we've been through thick and thin together." Antonia said. "Want to grab that wine bottle and the glasses and take them to the living room? I'll take the cheeses."

"Of course." Siebold said, doing as he was told. "Anything else?"

"No, the rest is already at the table. I'll just make us some cream liquor coffee a tad later, if you'd fancy some of that."

"Of course I would."

They headed out of the kitchen and placed everything on the living room table. Antonia had already brought out a variety of both sweet and savory finger food, neatly arranged on layered trays. Siebold opened the bottle and poured them both some red wine, before sitting down beside Antonia and handing her a glass.

"To us?" he said, even though it was more of a statement than a question.

"To us." Antonia confirmed, taking a sip. "Please, help yourself."

"Gladly." Siebold said, slicing some cheese, spreading some fig marmalade on it and wrapping it around a grape. He held it up to her. "But first, I'd rather help you."

Antonia smiled and accepted the offered treat, lightly kissing Siebold's fingertips in the process. The gentle touch against his sensitive fingertips sent a jolt like electricity through his body. How she was capable of having this effect on him, he didn't know, but he certainly enjoyed every single bit of it.

"My turn." Antonia said, reaching out for to make a similar treat, but with a different kind of cheese, different kind of marmalade and a piece of fig. Siebold accepted it, this time kissing her fingertips, but when she went to withdraw them, he took her hand. Having swallowed the bite, he kissed every single one of her fingers, one by one, lightly. The treatment done, he still didn't let go, meeting her gaze.

"I couldn't resist." He said, a smirk playing on his lips. Antonia smirked back.

"We need to find a topic of discussion, it seems; otherwise we won't have time to enjoy the food."

"Which would be a shame, seeming as it's delicious." Siebold agreed, leaning in to give her a peck on the lips. "How did you find the flowers?"

"I told you, they're exquisite, elegant, and beautiful." Antonia said, smiling, looking over at the bouquet in the vase on the table. "And they are in every way to my taste. I think I'm correct in suggesting you put some thought into this."

"I did, yes." Siebold admitted, putting a variety of finger food on his plate. "I'm exceedingly happy you like them. I didn't dare buy you chocolate or wine, which would have been the true Kalosian way, but that seemed ridiculous, inappropriate even. I hope the humble bouquet will make up for it." At this, Antonia laughed. Such a sweet laugh. Suitable for a sweet pâtissière.

"I don't know what I would have thought if you brought me chocolate and wine! Wise of you not to, I have a very acquired taste when it comes to both wine and chocolate, which you are aware of."

"I do indeed."

"…Siebold?"

"Yes, Antonia?"

"I was speaking to my head chef today. She still seems keen on the idea of us working together."

"We probably should, and I shall do it properly."

"But another thought struck me." Antonia met Siebold's gaze. He cocked an eyebrow, reading her. Then his eyes grew wide.

"Are you thinking what I think you're thinking?"

"Probably." She said tilting her head to the side, popping in a grape wrapped in cheese.

"…I'd love to open a restaurant with you." He said, sincerely hoping he had read her correctly. "Or at least, I'd like to work further on the idea. There's a lot of serious planning behind such a step."

"There is, but I think it's something we should consider and work on." Antonia said, and Siebold exhaled inwards in relief that he had understood her correctly. "Together we would have the means to do it, and we have trusty, hard-working employees that would no doubt support the idea. It would probably be the go-to restaurant here in Lumiose if you want the perfect culinary experience."

"In Lumiose? You mean in Kalos." Siebold said, smiling smugly. Antonia chuckled.

"What is it with us chefs, always so cocky." She said, shaking her head and taking a sip of her wine. "But yes, it would be something special. La Perle de la Mer holds the ocean-theme and excellent savory dishes, Fleur de la Cerise specializes on desserts, and a joint restaurant focuses on giving the diners the ultimate culinary experience. This could be a winner."

"Not could, it will." Siebold assured, leaning back on the couch. "Jardin de la Vie." Antonia almost choked on her drink in surprise but managed not to.

"Garden of life? Really?" She said, looking over at him.

"Yes." Siebold said matter-of-factly. "Inspired by the centerpiece you treated me to a few nights ago. It would be our garden of life, where flavors can blossom, and new ideas sprout. Naturally, it must be named Jardin de la Vie. Unless you already had something on your mind and don't like the idea, of course."

"No, I don't have any suggestions of my own." Antonia admitted, trying to get used to the name. "Jardin de la Vie… I quite like it actually."

"Excellent." Siebold smiled, lifting his glass of wine again. "To Jardin de la Vie!"

"Our garden of life." Antonia smiled back, emptying her glass. "Fancy some coffee?"

"Well…" Siebold said, placing his own glass on the table and reaching out to gently remove her glasses. "…soon."

Before Antonia could react she was pinned to the couch with Siebold on top of her, kissing her fiercely. She kissed him back, her hands grasping the fabric of his shirt tightly. Siebold wanted to know all of her; explore her, get to know every inch of the sweetest pastry chef.

She was Cherry Blossom. And she was the only dessert he'd ever want.


End file.
